{ THE CROSSWORDS }
CRYPTIC CLUES ACROSS
1 Eccentric inventor with madmen in the background (11)
9 Secret service man on lowest rate of pay (7) 10 It has changed states in an old-fashioned way (5)
11 Make a submission to a higher authority (4) 12 It’s twice as expensive. What a pity! (4,4) 14 Head the French members of the upper classes (6)
16 Successfully retired? (6)
18 Defamed a large number and got into a row (8)
19 Repaired shoes soundly and disposed of them (4)
22 One so confused may be caught by it (5) 23 Brings into line higher-priced fruit (7) 24 Bent on submission (2,4,5)
DOWN
2 One is unusually sound (5)
3 Country that is right to put Scotsman out (4) 4 Beginner in a key role (6)
5 I’m upset by the strain of being a teacher (8) 6 New native quarter shows simplicity (7)
7 A candidate who fails to keep it is unlikely to get it (11)
8 Professional man who goes to work on foot (11)
13 A watercolour? (3,5)
15 One of the party windbags? (7)
17 Objects about Eastern drums (6)
20 A change of route is quite out of the ordinary (5)
21 It was heaven on earth while it lasted (4)
QUICK CLUES
ACROSS
1 Fine handwriting (11) 9 Mentor (7)
10 A planet (5)
11 At the proper time (4) 12 Amaze (8)
14 Made bankrupt (6)
16 Servile (6)
18 Colourless odourless gas (8) 19 Detect (4)
22 Giver (5)
23 Wry face (7)
24 Incisive (11)
DOWN
2 Blacksmith’s block (5) 3 Endure (4)
4 Gaudy (6)
5 Sanctioned (8)
6 US escapologist (7)
7 Bomb for throwing (4,7) 8 In every detail (2,3,6)
13 An available stock (8) 15 Highly concentrated (7) 17 Business amalgamation (6) 20 Level tract of country (5) 21 Main point (4)